The Black Pearl
by The Lady Sparrow
Summary: Sequel to The Wicked Wench. This story was inspired by the events of The Curse of the Black Pearl and follows the film as closely as possible with the exception of my OC. JackOC. WE.
1. Tortuga

I actually began writing this story with the release of the first Pirates of the Caribbean film but it has been on hiatus for quite some time. Even though The Wicked Wench is still a work in progress, I plan to continue writing this story as its sequel. This story was inspired by the events of The Curse of the Black Pearl. Even though I loved Anamaria as a character, she was not in the film sequels, and for necessity's sake to keep the plot as true to the film as possible, I have substituted my OC with her character. Jack/OC. Please read and review… ideas are welcome!

Disclaimer: All Pirates of the Caribbean characters are owned by Disney and I just write my own interpretation of them.

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Will and Jack reached Tortuga by nightfall. They anchored the Interceptor in the harbor and rowed ashore. After reaching the docks, the pirate and the blacksmith made their way into the town and to one of Jack's old haunts, the tavern. There they met up with Joshamee Gibbs, a former associate of Jack's.

Will warily surveyed the raucous tavern as Gibbs ordered another round of drinks. Unbeknownst to the men, a woman observed them from across the room. She was dressed as a man and she had a hat pulled low over her face and upswept brunette hair.

"Now, what's the nature of this venture of yourn?" Mr. Gibbs asked as he handed Jack another drink.

"I'm going after the Black Pearl. I know where it's going to be, and I'm going to take it."

Gibbs almost choked on his drink and spluttered, "Jack, it's a fool's errand. Why, you know better than me the tales of the Black Pearl."

"That's why I know what Barbossa is up to. All I need is a crew."

"From what I hear tell of Captain Barbossa , he's not a man to suffer fools, nor strike a bargain with one."

Jack grinned. "Well, then I'd say it's a very good thing I'm not a fool then, eh?"

"Prove me wrong. What makes ye think Barbossa will give up his ship to you?"

"Let's just say it's a matter of leverage." Jack nodded to Will. Confused, Gibbs didn't follow Jack's line of thinking. Impatiently Jack jerked his head toward Will and Will caught the motion from the corner of his eye.

"The kid?" Gibbs asked befuddled.

"That is the child of Bootstrap Bill Turner. His only child, savvy?" Jack clarified with a sly grin.

"Is he, now?" He observed the lad who was standing a few feet away. "'Leverage,' says you. 'I think I feel a change in the wind,' says I. I'll find us a crew. There's bound to be some sailors on this rock crazy as you," he said with a broad grin.

"One can only hope. Take what you can…" Jack raised his drink in a toast. They clinked their tankards.

"…Give nothing back," Gibbs finished as he and Jack drained their drinks.

Intrigued by the conversation that had just taken place, the woman took leave of the tavern. It seemed Jack Sparrow was only in town long enough to find a crew and she intended to join it.

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The next morning a rag tag crew was assembled at the docks, ready to set sail on the HMS Interceptor. "Feast your eyes, Captain. All of them, faithful hands before the mast, every man worth his salt and crazy to boot," Gibbs explained, quite satisfied with his recruitment.

"So this is your able-bodied crew?" Will asked, his misgivings quite evident.

Jack gave him glare before turning back to the man before him. "You, sailor!"

"Cotton, sir," Gibbs clarified.

"Mr. Cotton, do you have the courage and fortitude to follow orders and stay true in the face of danger and almost certain death? Mr. Cotton! Answer, man!"

"He's a mute, sir. Poor devil had his tongue cut out, so he trained the parrot to talk for him. No one's yet figured how," mused Gibbs.

"Mr. Cotton's... parrot. Same question."

"Wind in the sails! Wind in the sails!"

Jack looked to Gibbs. "Mostly, we figure, that means 'yes.'"

"O'course it does." Jack turned to Will. "Satisfied?"

"Well, you've proved they're mad."

Before Jack had a chance to reply a voice pierced the air. "And what's the benefit for us?"

Jack furrowed his eyebrows for he knew that voice well but certainly wasn't expecting to hear it here. He walked over to the last crewmember and took off the sailor's hat, revealing the woman, her hair tumbling down her back. "Rachel…" Without a word she slapped him hard across the face.

"I suppose you didn't deserve that one either," Will noted.

"No, that one I deserved." Jack took in the enraged woman, trying to read the emotion in those blue eyes.

"You stole my boat!" she fumed.

"Actually—" he winced as she slapped him again— "borrowed. Borrowed without permission. But with every intention of bringing it back to you!"

"But you didn't!"

Jack chose his words carefully. "You'll get another one."

Rachel pointed her finger in his face. "I will."

"A better one." Will offered, an idea forming.

"A better one!" Jack repeated.

"That one." Will pointed at the Interceptor.

"What one? That one?!" Jack asked incredulously but when he saw the ferocity of Rachel's gaze he conceded. "Aye, that one. What say you?"

"Aye!" the crew yelled.

"Anchors aweigh!" shrieked Cotton's parrot.

Without another word Rachel boarded a boat bound for the Interceptor.

"No, no, no, it's frightful bad luck to bring a woman aboard, sir," object Gibbs.

"It'd be far worse not to have her," Jack said softly as his gaze lingered on her. He was not quite sure how he felt about this reunion.


	2. Isla de Muerta

The ship sailed throughout the night, weathering a storm, and reached Isla de Muerta around dawn. As Jack slowly navigated the Interceptor through a lagoon Cotton's parrot sang, "Dead men tell no tales." The island was shrouded by fog and the eerie atmosphere coupled by the parrot's song left a sense of foreboding over the crew.

"Puts a chill in the bones how many honest sailors have been claimed by this passage," Gibbs uttered as the crew warily observed the wreckage of other ships strewn throughout the water.

Will watched Jack hastily shut his compass when Cotton peered over his shoulder. "How is it that Jack came by that compass?"

Gibbs turned to Will. "Not a lot's known about Jack Sparrow before he showed up in Tortuga with a mind to go after the treasure of the Isla de Muerta . That was before I met him, back when he was Captain of the Black Pearl."

"What? He failed to mention that." Will raised his eyebrows. Rachel silently observed the men, not venturing to tell them that she knew the true story of Jack's past.

"Well, he plays things closer to the vest now. And a hard-learned lesson it was. See three days out on the venture the first mate comes to him and says everything's an equal share. That should mean the location of the treasure, too, so Jack gives up the bearings. That night there was a mutiny. They marooned Jack on an island and left him to die but not before he'd gone mad with the heat."

"Ah. So that's the reason for all the…" Will imitated Jack's gestures.

"Reason's got nothing to do with it. Now Will, when a man is marooned he is a given a pistol with a single shot– one shot. Well it won't do much good hunting or to be rescued. But after three weeks of a starvin' belly and thirst, that pistol will start to look real friendly. But Jack– he escaped the island, and he still has that one shot. Oh, but he won't use it, though, save for one man. His mutinous first mate."

"Barbossa."

Gibbs nodded, "Aye."

"How did Jack get off the island?"

"Well, I'll tell ye. He waded out into the shallows and there he waited three days and three nights till all manner of sea creature came and acclimated to his presence. And on the fourth morning, he roped himself a couple of sea turtles, lashed 'em together and made a raft."

"He roped a couple of sea turtles?" Will asked dubiously.

"Aye. Sea turtles."

"What did he use for rope?"

"Human hair…from my back." Jack rejoined, matter of factly. "Young Mr. Turner and I are to go ashore."

"Captain! What if the worst should happen?" Gibbs awaited instruction.

"Keep to the code."

"Aye, the code."

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After they arrived in the cave via rowboat, they crept up behind a pile of booty so that they could see what Barbossa and his swashbucklers were up to. They were standing around a massive treasure chest full of the Aztec gold, with Elizabeth held captive, ready for the blood sacrifice to lift the curse. "Elizabeth!" Will breathed. As he made a move toward her he disturbed some of the treasure.

Jack turned to him and said, "Do us a favor...I know it's hard...but stay here, and try not to do anything...stupid. " He walked away to scope the scene. Will came up behind him and Jack turned around just as Will smacked him in the face with the rowboat oar.

"Sorry, Jack, but I am not going to be your leverage." Will crouched behind some rocks but made sure he was able to see what was happening with Elizabeth.

At that moment, Barbossa put the medallion in Elizabeth's hand and sliced it open, causing her blood to spill all over the cursed gold. The pirates waited a few moments, expecting to feel different after the curse was lifted.

"I don't feel any different," one of the pirates, Pintel, exclaimed. Barbossa took out his revolver and shot him point blank. "I'm not dead!" Then he looked up furiously at Barbossa and said, "You shot me!"

The Captain was confused as to why the curse was still upon them. He grabbed the medallion back out of the chest and turned to Elizabeth saying, "You maid! Your father, what was his name? Was your father William Turner?!" She only stared at him in return. "Answer me!"

When she failed to meet his demands, Barbossa slapped her hard across the face, causing her to tumble backwards, and the medallion was knocked out of her hand. While all the pirates were angrily shouting over what had just happened, Will came up to Elizabeth and put a cold, wet hand over her mouth. Her eyes flew open. "Will!" He grabbed her and pulled her away with him. "The medallion!" Elizabeth whispered, grabbing it before following Will.

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Will and Elizabeth returned to the Interceptor alone. "No more pirates!" Elizabeth exclaimed as they climbed on board.

"Where be Jack, boy?" Gibbs asked.

"Mr. Gibbs?" Elizabeth asked incredulously, recognizing him as the first mate of the ship that had brought her to the Caribbean from England.

"He fell behind," Will said, with an apologetic look at Rachel.

Gibbs shook his head in disbelief. Rachel looked away from Will and back to Isla de Muerta, refusing to believe that Jack was gone. The crew turned to Rachel for guidance for she was Jack's first mate. She stared at the island a moment longer, gathering her thoughts, before turning to face the crew. "You… know the code. Weigh anchor, hoist the sails," she said heavily, assuming command of the ship. She glanced at the island one last time, half-hoping to see Jack returning to the ship, although she knew in her heart that he would return somehow, as he always did.

Without so much as an introduction to the crew, Will ushered Elizabeth below deck so that he could tend to the laceration she had received from Barbossa.

"Why does he keep doing this to me? He's always leaving," Rachel said angrily, more so to herself than anyone else but Gibbs overheard her.

"But he'll be back. You know he will, he always comes back," Gibbs said, trying to reassure her. Though he didn't know the particulars about Jack's complex relationship with the woman he did know that many times Jack had returned to Tortuga for no other reason but her. He too let his gaze fall to the island, not quite sure himself if Jack was truly lost. As he looked back in the direction of Isla de Muerta he noticed the faint outline of a ship following their path.


	3. We Must Make a Stand

Elizabeth winced as Will finished tying the bandage that covered her palm. "Sorry, blacksmith's hands. I know they're rough," he said.

"No. I mean yes they are, but don't stop." She took his hand and put it on the medallion, which now hung around her neck.

"Elizabeth," he breathed as he leaned towards her. He stopped, noticing the medallion was that which his father had given to him ten years ago. "Where did you get this?"

"It's yours," she said as she took it off and handed it to him.

"I thought I'd lost it the day they rescued me. It was a gift from my father. He sent it to me. Why did you take it?" he asked her, anger rising in his voice.

"Because I was afraid that you were a pirate. That would have been awful."

"It wasn't your blood they needed. It was my father's blood… my blood… the blood of a pirate!" he said bitterly, slamming the medallion down onto the table.

"I'm so sorry, Will. Please forgive me," Elizabeth said before rushing out of the cabin.

Will followed Elizabeth on deck but did not pursue her across the ship. He walked to Rachel at the helm. "I'm sorry about Jack…" he began, knowing that she had some sort of relationship with the eccentric pirate.

"What happened to him?" she asked.

"He fell—" Will began, but was interrupted by a shout from Gibbs.

"It's the Pearl! She's gaining on us!"

"But this is the fastest ship in the Caribbean!" Elizabeth cried as she joined them.

"You can tell them that after they've caught us!" Rachel retorted.

"We're shallow on the draft, right?" Elizabeth inquired.

"Aye?" Rachel was surprised at the affluent girl's nautical knowledge.

"Well, then can't we lose them amongst those shoals?" Elizabeth pointed toward the bow.

"We don't have to outrun them long, just long enough," Gibbs acknowledged.

Rachel nodded. "Lighten the ship, stem to stern!"

Gibbs turned to Elizabeth and Will. "Anything that we can afford to lose…see that it's lost."

As the crew scrambled to lighten the ship the Black Pearl was steadily gaining on them. They could now see that the colors had been hoisted and the sweeps had been run out. The guns glistened in the sun.

"It was a good plan…up 'till now," Rachel said somberly.

Will shook his head emphatically. "Gibbs! We have to make a stand. We must fight! Load the guns!"

Rachel sighed, "With what?"

"Anything. Everything! Anything we have left." Will resolutely pounded his fist in his hand and Elizabeth gazed at him in admiration.

"Aye," Gibbs nodded before commanding the crew. "Load the guns! Take shot and langrage. Nails and crushed glass! With a will! The Pearl is going to luff up on our port quarter. She'll rake us without ever presenting a target."

Elizabeth had turned her attention back to the bow. "Lower the anchor on the right side. On the starboard side!"

"It certainly has the element of surprise," Will shrugged.

"You're daft, lady! You both are!" Rachel shook her head at the pair, her hands still at the helm.

"Daft like Jack!" Gibbs grinned and Rachel's heart jumped at the reference. "Lower the starboard anchor! Do it, ye dogs, or it's you we'll load into the cannons!"

Rachel let go and the ship swung about so that it was broadside the Pearl.

"Fire!" Elizabeth shouted to the crew.

"We could use a few more ideas, lass," Gibbs said impressed though he knew their efforts were futile.

"Your turn."

"We need us a devil's dowry," he muttered as the cannonballs sailed through the air.

Rachel withdrew her pistol and aimed it at Elizabeth. "We'll give them her."

"She's not what they're after," Will defended.

"The medallion," Elizabeth gasped, clutching at her throat.

Will ran below deck while the rest of the crew tried to come up with a plan to defend themselves. Will looked around for the medallion and was not able to find it. The ship was beginning to sink, and he soon would be underwater. He heard a shriek and looked up to see Barbossa's monkey holding the medallion. As he stepped toward the monkey, it jumped out through a hole in the ship. Will dived as a cannon burst through the ship, blocking his exit and causing the ship to flood faster. He yelled for help and Elizabeth tried to come to his aide but she could not find a way to get him out.

Rachel fought with her sword as the pirates of the Black Pearl swung over on ropes to the Interceptor and began to capture the crew. She was fending off one pirate when another tried to attack her from behind but someone grabbed his hand. "That's not very nice," she heard a familiar voice say. She elbowed the pirate in the face before turning to her rescuer. "Jack!" she exclaimed happily . She just knew he wasn't dead.

He waved a hand in her face. "I want you to know, darling—"Jack began, but one of Barbossa's crew grabbed her and pulled her away from Jack. She was caught off guard and didn't have time to raise her sword to fend off the pirate. Jack punched him in the face and he fell to the ground. "Stay away from my girl!" he said, staring down at the pirate.

Jack pulled her to him, giving her a quick, yet longing, kiss. "Sorry, love, I've got a bone to pick with Barbossa… but… I will be back," he said reassuringly. "I promise."

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One by one, the crew of the Interceptor was captured, all except Will who was left to die. One of the cursed pirates lit the ship on fire, dynamite at the end of the trail. The Black Pearl quickly moved away from the Interceptor as everyone watched it explode.

"Will!" Elizabeth cried.

As both crews watched the burning wreckage of the Interceptor, Will climbed onto the deck. "Barbossa! She goes free." He pointed a pistol at Barbossa.

"What's in your head, boy?" Barbossa growled.

"She goes free!"

"You've only got one shot, and we can't die."

"You can't. I can." Will turned the gun on himself.

"Who are you?" Barbossa demanded.

Jack sauntered over to Barbossa., "No one. He's no one. A distant cousin of my aunt's nephew twice removed. Lovely singing voice, though – eunuch."

"My name is Will Turner. My father was Bootstrap Bill Turner. His blood runs in my veins." Jack grimaced and backed away.

"He's the spitting image of ol' Bootstrap Bill come back to haunt us," one of Barbossa's fiends, a pirate called Ragetti, called out.

"On my word do as I say, or I'll pull this trigger and be lost to Davy Jones' Locker," Will insisted.

"Name your terms, Mr. Turner."

"Elizabeth goes free."

"Yes, we know that one." Barbossa rolled his eyes. "Anything else?"

Will saw Jack gesturing to himself. "And the crew – the crew are not to be harmed."

"Agreed."

Pintel turned to Elizabeth with a devilish grin. "Go on, Poppet, go! Walk the plank!" They were a mile or so off shore of the same island that Jack was marooned at in the past.

"Barbossa, you lying bastard! You swore she'd go free!" Will shouted furiously.

"Don't dare impugn me honor, boy. I agreed she'd go free, but it was you who failed to specify when or where," Barbossa laughed. "Though it does seem a shame to lose something so fine, don't it lads? So I'll be having that dress back before you go."

Elizabeth quickly took off the dress and threw it at Barbossa. "It goes with your black heart." Barbossa and his pirates roared with laughter as she stood on the edge of the plank, hesitating to jump.

"Too long!" one pirate shouted, stomping on the plank and knocking Elizabeth into the water.

Jack turned to Barbossa after he too was led up the plank. "I'd really rather hoped we were past all this."

"Jack… Jack. Did ya not notice? That be the same little island that we made you Governor of on our last little trip."

"I did notice."

"Perhaps you'll be able to conjure up another miraculous escape…but I doubt it." Barbossa unsheathed his sword and brandished it at Jack's throat. "Off you go."

"Last time, you left me a pistol with one shot."

"By the powers, you're right. Were be Jack's pistol? Bring it forward." Barbossa was handed the gun.

"Seeing as there's two of us, a gentleman…would give us a pair of pistols," Jack tried to reason with him.

"It'll be one pistol as before, and you can be the gentleman and shoot the lady and starve to death yourself." He threw Jack's things in the ocean. Jack looked to Rachel, a pained expression in his eyes, before diving into the ocean after his effects.

"Jack! No!" Rachel screamed, tearing free from the pirate holding her and running to the side of the ship, making to jump in after him. She was grabbed roughly from behind by one of Barbossa's crew. She couldn't lose him, not after she just found out he was still alive.

"You love him. I see it in your eyes. Face it, strumpet. Jack's as good as dead out there." Barbossa said with a crude laugh.

"Never!" Rachel spat at Barbossa. "He made it off that island once before and he will again. I know it!" she said, although she wasn't sure how long Jack's luck would hold.


	4. Marooned, Again

"That is the second time I've had to watch that man sail away with my ship. Save this time he took me girl," Jack said bitterly as he and Elizabeth reached the shore.

"I'm sorry, Jack. They took Will too…" Elizabeth said, for the first time sympathizing with the pirate. "But you were marooned on this island before, weren't you? So we can escape in the same way you did then." 

Jack continued to walk along the beach as he replied, "To what point and purpose, young missy? The Black Pearl is gone and unless you have a rudder and a lot of sails hidden in that bodice—," he turned to look at her, "unlikely— young Mr. Turner will be dead long before you can reach him."

Elizabeth followed Jack as he turned toward the tree line and appeared to be looking for something. He knocked on a tree trunk and took four steps before jumping up and down in the sand. Elizabeth was perplexed but continued, "But you're Captain Jack Sparrow. You vanished from under the eyes of seven agents of the East India Trading Company. You sacked Nassau Port without even firing a shot. Are you the pirate I've read about or not? How did you escape last time?"

"Last time…I was here a grand total of three days, all right? Last time—" he bent down and dug in the sand, exposing a large iron ring. Jack heaved the trap door open, revealing a hidden pit. "—the rumrunners used this island as a cache. Came by, and I was able to barter a passage off. From the looks of things, they've long been out of business. Probably have your bloody friend Norrington to thank for that." Inside the pit were barrels and bottles of rum covered with dust and cobwebs, long ago abandoned. He reached down and grabbed two of the bottles of rum.

"So that's it then? That's the secret grand adventure of the infamous Jack Sparrow?" Elizabeth asked incredulously. "You spent three days lying on a beach drinking rum?!"

Jack shrugged. "Welcome to the Caribbean, love." He handed her one of the bottles of rum and kept the other for himself.

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Night had fallen and Elizabeth and Jack were singing and dancing around a bonfire they had built on the beach. It seemed they had been enjoying the cache of rum for the better part of the day. "We're devils and black sheep and really bad eggs. Drink up me 'earties yo ho! Yo ho, yo ho a pirate's life for me!"

"I love this song! _Really_ bad eggs! Ooh." Jack stumbled and fell in the sand and Elizabeth flopped down beside him. "When I get the Pearl back, I'm gonna teach it to the whole crew, and we'll sing it all the time!"

"And you'll be positively the most fearsome pirate in the Spanish Main."

"Not just the Spanish Main, love. The entire ocean. The entire wo'ld. Wherever we want to go, we'll go. That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails— that's what a ship needs but what a ship is…what the Black Pearl really is…is freedom." Jack waved his hand that held the bottle of rum in the air as he spoke, sloshing some of the golden liquid on himself.

Elizabeth frowned and rested her head on his shoulder as she said, "Jack …it must be really terrible for you to be trapped on this island."

"Oh, yes." Jack put his arm around her shoulder. "But the company is infinitely better than last time, I think. The scenery has definitely improved."

"Mr. Sparrow!" slurred Elizabeth, "I'm not entirely sure that I've had enough rum to allow that kind of talk."

"I know exactly what you mean, love." He curled his moustache.

Elizabeth scowled. "What about Rachel? Don't you have some sort of relationship with her?"

Jack sighed. "It's a funny thing, love is. A long time ago I gave my heart to the sea… to the Pearl. But Rachel was there from the beginning. As many times as I've left her behind she's always waiting for me when I return."

Elizabeth raised her bottle of rum in the air in a toast. "To freedom…"

"…to the Black Pearl." Jack downed his bottle or rum and sank back onto the sand in a stupor.

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The next morning Jack awoke with a start to the smell of smoke. His eyes flew open to the sight of the island ablaze. He ran to Elizabeth who was fueling the fire with the barrels of rum. "No! Not good! Stop! Not good! What are you doing? You burned all the food, the shade! The rum!"

"Yes, the rum is gone."

"Why is the rum gone?"

"One, because it is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable men into complete scoundrels. Two, that signal is over a thousand feet high. The entire Royal Navy is out looking for me, do you really think that there is even the slightest chance that they won't see it?"

"But why is the rum gone?" he asked again in a panic.

Elizabeth sat down on the beach facing the ocean. "Just wait, Captain Sparrow. You give it one hour, maybe two, keep a weather eye out and then you will see white sails on that horizon."

Elizabeth's back was turned to Jack and he yanked out his pistol, thought better of it, and shoved it back into his pants. He stalked off down the opposite end of the beach and mimicked Elizabeth, "'Must've been terrible for you to be trapped here, Jack. Must've been terrible for you.' Well it bloody is now!" To his utter amazement his eyes spied the Dauntless on the horizon. "There'll be no living with her after this."

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In the brig of the Black Pearl, two of Barbossa's pirates, Pintel and Ragetti, were swabbing the floor when Cotton's parrot shrieked, "Awwk, shiver me timbers!"

"Cotton 'ere says you missed a bit," scoffed Gibbs.

"You knew William Turner?" Will asked Pintel.

"Ol' Bootstrap Bill . We knew him. Never sat well with Bootstrap what we did to Jack Sparrow, the mutiny and all. He said it wasn't right with the Code. That's why he sent off a piece of the treasure to you as it were. He said we deserved to be cursed… and remain cursed."

"Stupid blighter," snickered Ragetti.

"Good man," Gibbs shot back.

Pintel continued, "Well, as you can imagine that didn't sit too well with the Captain."

"That didn't sit too well with the Captain, at all. Tell him what Barbossa did," Ragetti interrupted.

"I'm telling the story! So…what the Captain did, he strapped a cannon to Bootstraps' bootstraps."

Ragetti mumbled, "Bootstraps' bootstraps."

"The last we saw of ol' Bill Turner, he was sinking to the crushing black oblivion of Davy Jones' Locker. 'Course it was only after that we learned we needed his blood to lift the curse."

"That's what you call ironic," Ragetti said as Barbossa came down the stairs.

Barbossa threw the key of Will's cell to Ragetti. "Bring him!" he commanded. They had arrived at Isla de Muerta.


	5. Return to Isla de Muerta

Rachel leaned back against the cell wall and angrily pounded her fist in her hand. The Pearl was unusually quiet. Will had been taken a short time earlier and was probably in the cave on Isla de Muerta by now. If only there was some way out of the cell... She looked up when she heard someone approaching, as did the rest of the captive crew.

"All of you with me, we have to save Will!" It was Elizabeth, holding a set of keys.

Rachel pushed her way to the front of the cell. "If you're here, then is Jack...?" she trailed off, her heart pounding in her chest as she stared through the bars at Elizabeth.

"Jack is with Commodore Norrington. Apparently he has a plan."

Rachel smiled as Elizabeth released them from the cell. She and the other crew followed Elizabeth to the deck. They easily overpowered the few pirates that had been left as guards and knocked them overboard with a longboat. "And, heave!" Elizabeth cried, struggling to lower the boat to the deck. The crew just stood there. Elizabeth turned to them and shouted, "Please, I need your help! Come on!"

"Any port in the storm!" squawked Cotton's parrot.

"Cotton's right, we have the Pearl," said Gibbs. "And there's the code to consider."

Elizabeth frowned. "Hang the code! They're more like guidelines anyway!" Without a word, the crew remained in their places. "What about Jack? Are you just going to leave him?"

"Jack owes us a ship!" Marty, the midget pirate said.

"I'll help you," Rachel said, remaining at Elizabeth's side. She surveyed the rest of the crew, hoping they would change their minds.

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤

Rachel and Elizabeth climbed out of the longboat inside the cave as Jack was speaking to Barbossa.

"Me? I'm dishonest and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly, it's the honest ones you want to watch out for because you can never predict when they're going to do something incredibly… stupid," Jack said, as he unsheathed the sword of the pirate next to him and threw it to Will.

Barbossa scowled and made for his sword but noticed something behind Jack. His lips curled in a sneer as one of his scallywags snuck behind Rachel and grabbed her roughly before she could react. He held her by her hair and pulled her from behind Jack to Barbossa. Elizabeth ducked out of the way when she saw the pirate approaching but was unable to warn Rachel. She ran to Will's aid as he fought off his captors.

"Well, Jack, it looks like your luck has run its course. Say goodbye to the whore!" Barbossa snarled, as he pulled Rachel to him, his sword at her throat. She didn't even try to struggle but stared at Jack helplessly.

Jack's hand flew to his sword. "Unhand her, Barbossa!" he growled. "She's not the one you want."

"No, but seeing as she's the one that you want I see no reason not to be killing her," Barbossa sneered. "How come you didn't tell me you had a girl, Jack? You care for her, do you not? It would pain you to see her die, slowly, as I cut open her throat, spilling her blood all over!" He grinned devilishly at Jack, adding more pressure to the sword on Rachel's throat.

Jack's eyes bore into Barbossa's as he contemplated his next move. If he did anything rash Rachel would be lost for sure. He had no doubt that Barbossa would take her life. Slowly he removed his hand from his sword. "Take me instead, mate. I'm the one you really want." He tried to give Rachel a reassuring look.

Barbossa mulled over Jack's proposition. True, Jack was the one he wanted, but he would enjoy tormenting Jack by killing his lover right in front of his eyes just moments before he took Jack's own life. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't be killin' her. You're going to die anyway, so you won't be seeing her again as it is... why release her when I can have you both?" Rachel winced as the blade bit into her throat, drawing a fine line of blood. "Last chance to say goodbye."

"Please...don't. She hasn't done anything wrong. Leave her out of it." Jack choked on his words.

Barbossa raised an eyebrow at Jack's uncharacteristic show of emotion. For a moment, he loosened his hold on Rachel. "Has Jack Sparrow grown a heart?"

Tears threatened behind Rachel's closed eyelids and her heart broke at the pain in Jack's voice. As Barbossa's grip slackened, she opened her eyes and cautiously moved her hand to her sword. She didn't stop to think about the risk of her actions.

Jack said nothing but stared helplessly at Barbossa, his hand absently hanging by his side, inches from his sword.

Rachel took a deep breath and ripped her sword from its sheath, taking a swipe at Barbossa's mid-section.

"You stupid strumpet. You can't hurt me." Barbossa smacked her hard on the face as she tumbled to the ground. "Jack, ye better be tellin' your wench where her place is!"

Jack clenched his sword and rushed at Barbossa. His sword clanged against Barbossa's as he swung it furiously at him. Rachel scrambled to her feet, her cheek still stinging, as Jack unleashed his fury on Barbossa. She backed away from the two only to bump into one of Barbossa's crew. Sword still in hand she turned on her new adversary.

Jack's eyes strayed from Barbossa to make sure Rachel was alright and out of harm's way. He breathed a sigh of relief to see her back on her feet but by looking away he left himself vulnerable to Barbossa. He was sharply reminded that he was in a duel when Barbossa's sword swiped across his arm. Instead of being hindered by the blow, Jack fought with an even greater fervor. Though he knew Barbossa couldn't be killed, he was determined to avenge what he had done to Rachel. No one threatened his girl!

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Rachel skillfully parried a blow as she watched Jack and Barbossa dueling from the corner of her eye. Jack sank his sword into Barbossa's chest but the undead pirate felt no pain. He laughed cruelly as he easily removed the blade and swiftly thrust it into Jack's chest.

"No!" Rachel screamed as the blade pierced his flesh. Her full attention was now on Jack, completely forgetting the pirate she had been fighting.

Jack's eyes widened as he watched Barbossa thrust the sword into his chest. His eyes met his mutinous first mate's as he stumbled backwards, more out of surprise than pain, into a shaft of moonlight that filtered into the cave. In fact he felt no pain for the moonlight showed him for what he really was, cursed like the crew of The Pearl. "Now that's interesting," he said as he looked down at his skeletal form. He grinned as he rolled a piece of the Aztec gold over his knuckles. "Sorry mate. Couldn't resist."

Rachel's sword clattered to the ground. She couldn't believe her eyes. Suddenly there was a piercing pain in her shoulder and she tore her eyes away from Jack to meet the grinning visage of a skeleton, the pirate she had been fighting. Before the pirate could sink his sword deeper into her flesh she pulled away and ducked into a low roll, grabbing her sword in the process. She leapt to her feet and with one swift move she severed its head. She risked another glance at Jack, he and Barbossa were now furiously dueling once again. Convinced that Jack was alright, she went to help Will and Elizabeth.


	6. One Last Shot

Will, Elizabeth, and Rachel had managed to keep the other pirates at bay and now was the opportune moment that Will had waited for to lift the curse.

Jack's eyes met Will's over Barbossa's shoulder, and with his next blow, he knocked the sword from Barbossa's hand. When Barbossa's sword was knocked away from him he pulled out his gun and pointed it directly at Elizabeth. Elizabeth stopped dead in her tracks as a shot rang out, echoing throughout the cavern.

Barbossa turned back to face Jack, who had his gun trained on Barbossa. He glanced down at the bullet embedded in his chest. "Ten years you carry that pistol, and now you waste your shot." His vile laughter rang throughout the cavern.

"He didn't waste it," Will said coldly. Barbossa raised an eyebrow as Jack cut his palm and tossed Will his medallion. Will dropped Jack's medallion and the medallion he clutched in his bloody palm into the chest.

Barbossa ripped open the front of his coat to expose his shirt, and the bullet piercing his chest. Suddenly, his shirt was stained with the blood from the wound. His eyes met Jack's, shock written all over his face. "I feel…cold," he uttered before falling to the ground, dead. The curse had been lifted.

Jack holstered his gun and Rachel sheathed her sword before running to him. She jumped on him and threw her arms around his neck. "I thought I had lost you," she said softly, as she buried her face in his neck, savoring the closeness.

Jack laughed softly. "But you forget one thing, love." Rachel looked up and met his eyes. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!" She gave him a half smile before pressing her lips to his in a passionate kiss.

With a smile, Will averted his eyes from Rachel and Jack and walked over to Elizabeth. "I suppose your fiancé will be wanting to know that you're safe."

Elizabeth gave him a sad smile before she turned away toward the longboat. Rachel and Jack walked up to Will, adorned in treasure. "If you were waiting for the opportune moment…that was it. Now, if you'll be so kind, I'd be much obliged if you'd drop me off my ship."

Will and Rachel made their way through the excited crowd. Today was Jack's hanging. Will had spoken on Rachel's behalf and was able to convince Commodore Norrington to spare Rachel's life for she was a woman. However, Norrington spared her life for other reasons unbeknownst to Will. Although she had chosen an ill fate, she had at one time in the distant past been his sister-in-law. Unfortunately, Jack was condemned the day he set foot in Port Royal and the Commodore was to carry out the law, no matter that Jack saved Elizabeth's life on more than one occasion.

Will was dressed smartly in a cape and feathered hat. Rachel wore a gown lent to her by Elizabeth, part of Will's promise to the Commodore to conform her 'pirate' ways and turn her into a lady.

Rachel frowned as she watched her beloved Jack standing upon the scaffold, a noose being fitted around his neck. She and Will joined Elizabeth, her father, and the Commodore. Will greeted them, "Governor Swann, Commodore, Elizabeth. I should have told you every day from the moment I met you… I love you." Elizabeth stared at Will in amazement has he walked away. Just then both she and Rachel saw a parrot alight on one of the flags a guard was holding. Elizabeth smiled before gasping, "I can't breathe!" and collapsed in a heap on the ground. The Commodore and her father immediately turned to her, their attention no longer on Jack.

Will took action and shoved his way through the crowd. He unsheathed his sword and threw it at the scaffold below Jack's feet at the same moment the executioner dropped the floor out from beneath him.

Rachel produced a small dagger she had hidden in the bodice of her dress and used it to keep the other guards at bay while Will worked to free Jack. Pirate or not, the guards were hesitant to attack a woman so she didn't really need to use it against them. Elizabeth was back on her feet in an instant, much to the surprise of the Commodore and her father who were dismayed that she had fooled them in order to help Jack escape.

Jack hung precariously for a moment before his feet found the sword. He balanced his weight upon it until Will was able to cut the rope holding the noose. "Thanks, mate," he said, removing the noose and throwing the other end of the rope to Will. Together they used the rope to fend off the guards that were now advancing. However, they were outnumbered and the guards soon had them surrounded, swords and pistols drawn.

The Commodore and the Governor pushed their way to the foremost of the guards. "I thought we might have to endure some manner of ill-conceived escape attempt but not from you," Norrington said to Will before glancing at Rachel.

"On our return to Port Royal , I granted you clemency. And this is how you thank me? By throwing in your lot with him? He's a pirate!" Governor Swann addressed Will.

"And a good man," Will retorted. "If all I have achieved here is that the hangman will earn two pairs of boots instead of one, so be it. At least my conscience will be clear."

"You forget your place, Turner," the Commodore said coolly.

"It's right here…between you and Jack," Will countered.

"As is mine," Rachel and Elizabeth said in unison as they pushed past the guards to stand beside Will and Jack.

"Elizabeth! Lower your weapons!" her father shouted at the guards in agitation.

"So this is where your heart truly lies, then?" Norrington asked Elizabeth despondently.

"It is."

At that moment Jack noticed Cotton's parrot. "Well! I'm actually feeling rather good about this." He turned to Governor Swann, "I think we've all arrived at a very special place, eh? Spiritually…Ecumenically…Grammatically?" To Norrington he said, "I want you to know that I was rooting for you, mate. Know that. Elizabeth …it would never have worked between us, darling. I'm sorry. And Will …nice hat." He backed away from them toward the battlement. "Friends! This is the day that you will always remember as the day that—" he began before tumbling backwards over the wall.

"Jack!" Rachel gasped and ran to the edge to see him resurface in the water below. Her eyes strayed from him to the Black Pearl waiting in the harbor. She smiled as he waved up at her, beckoning her to follow before he started swimming for the Pearl.


	7. He's a Pirate

WARNING: This Chapter is rated "Mature" for some mild, but nonetheless adult, content.

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"Idiot. He has nowhere to go but back to the noose. What's your plan of action, sir?" asked one of Norrington's men.

Norrington did not answer and Governor Swann said, "Perhaps on the rare occasion pursuing the right course demands an act of piracy, piracy itself can be the right course?"

Norrington turned to Will and unsheathed his sword. "Mr. Turner. This is a beautiful sword. I would expect the man who made it to show the same care and devotion in every aspect of his life."

"Thank you."

"So, this is the path you've chosen, is it? After all…he is a blacksmith," the Governor asked Elizabeth.

"No," she took off Will's hat. "He's a pirate." Will cupped her face and kissed her lovingly as the Governor walked away.

As Will and Elizabeth kissed, Rachel climbed up onto the battlement, hitched up her dress, and jumped in after Jack. He was treading water waiting for her and together they swam to the Pearl.

Once onboard Jack asked Gibbs, "I thought you were supposed to keep to the Code."

"We figured they were more actual…guidelines," he shrugged.

"Thank you," Jack said as Cotton handed him his hat.

"Captain Sparrow," he turned to Rachel who held his coat in her hands. "The Black Pearl is yours," she said with a smile as she put the coat around his shoulders.

Jack walked over to the helm and looked around fondly. "On deck, you scabrous dogs! Man the braces! Let down and haul to run free. Now...bring me that horizon." He hummed as he took out his compass. "And really bad eggs…drink up, me 'earties, yo ho!"

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Once the Black Pearl was out on the open sea again, Jack surrendered the helm to Gibbs. He walked over to Rachel who was standing at the rail of the ship, taking in the turquoise expanse of ocean that lay before them. He pulled her to him in a kiss when he remembered something. He pulled the shoulder of her dress down to see the gash that the pirate made in the cave on Isla de Muerta. Her bandages were sodden from her swim to the Pearl and the strenuous activity had caused the injury to bleed again. "You need to get that taken care of, darling." Much to her surprise, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to his cabin. It certainly wasn't like Jack to literally sweep a lady off her feet.

Once inside the cabin, Jack set Rachel on the bed and slowly removed her soaked dress. She now wore only a dressing gown. He sat next to her and took her injured arm. She jumped slightly when he ripped open the sleeve of the dressing gown with his strong hands, leaving the arm naked. He gently removed the bandages, revealing the nasty gash. "This looks painful, love," he said, meeting her eyes.

Rachel looked up at him and nodded but said nothing. With her other arm she gently reached up and placed a hand on his cheek, remembering again the moment she thought she had lost him.

"What is it?" he asked, sensing she was troubled. He took her other hand in his own.

She bit her lip, willing herself not to get emotional. "Jack, I thought I had lost you... again. I couldn't bear that thought… I still can't," she said, flinging herself in his arms.

Jack held her in his arms, comforting her. "No worries, love. Jack Sparrow isn't going anywhere," he said softly. He placed a finger under her chin and forced her to look at him before kissing her tenderly. He then grew serious. "I… when Barbossa had his sword at your throat…" he stumbled over his words.

"What is it, Jack?"

Finally he let it out, in true Jack fashion, dramatics and all. "I never imagined feeling this way about anyone. Every time I'm with you, I'm overwhelmed…I'm intoxicated…and not because of the rum…the rum is good, of course, but…the rum isn't you! I… I love you."

"I love you too, Jack."

Jack nodded and set to work cleaning and redressing the wound. As he tied the last of the bandages in place, Rachel winced at the pressure on the gash. "Sorry, love." He got up and walked over to a drawer and pulled out some clothes and handed them to Rachel. "Until we can get you some more of your own," he said.

"Thank you." He turned to leave so she could undress. "Don't go," she said, standing up and grabbing his arm. She pulled him to her and placed his hand on her back. The dressing gown tied in the back and she certainly couldn't easily get out of it on her own, not to mention she had an injured arm. She turned in his arms so that her back was facing him and he began to untie the gown. With his arms wrapped around her, Jack pushed the gown down over her shoulders and chest. His hand brushed against her breast but instead of moving it, he let it linger a moment. "Captain, I think you've strayed into uncharted territory," she said, turning halfway to glance over her shoulder at him.

"Well, forgive me for being so fascinated with such a treasure as yourself, love," he said with a roguish grin. She turned around to face him and he leaned in to kiss her, one hand still atop her breast. His other hand slid across her back, pulling the dress down to her waist and then letting it fall to the floor. Rachel grabbed his shirt and pulled it over his head. She pulled him to her, pressing her chest against his. He gently pushed her down onto the bed, running his hands along her back and then through her brunette locks before laying her down on the silken sheets.


End file.
